Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Washington Free Beacon that the Jewish state and the United Nations are working together to find Middle Eastern countries in which Palestinians can relocate from Gaza and resettle.
"I think President Trump had a brilliant vision," Netanyahu said during a White House press conference after the Free Beacon’s Jon Levine asked whether a Palestinian relocation plan is still on the table. "It’s called free choice. If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave. It shouldn’t be a prison. It should be an open place and give people a free choice."
Israel, Netanyahu continued, is not far from finalizing a suitable relocation plan.
"We’re working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say, that they want to give Palestinians a better future ... and I think we’re getting close to finding several countries, and I think this will give again the freedom to choose," the prime minister said. "Palestinians should have it, and I hope that we can secure it."
President Donald Trump then chimed in, saying the United States and Israel have gotten "great cooperation" from Middle Eastern countries—"every single one of them," in the president’s words.
Netanyahu and Trump answered a second question from the Free Beacon, this one on Democratic nominee for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani and his pledge to arrest Netanyahu should he come to the city under a Mamdani mayoralty.
"No, no, I’m not concerned about that," Netanyahu replied. "Look, there’s enough craziness in the world. But I guess it never ends. I mean ... it’s silly in many ways, because it’s just not serious." Asked whether he would visit New York City next year, Netanyahu said, "I'm going to come there with President Trump, and we'll see."
Trump said Netanyahu would be "very fine" were he to do so.
"We don't know who the mayor is going to be yet. But this is a communist," Trump said of Mamdani. "But you know, it all comes through the White House. He needs the money through the White House. He needs a lot.
"He's going to behave. He'll behave. He better behave, otherwise he's going to have big problems."